The Millionaires' Club 2013 launches online

The Millionaires Club 2013, Drinks International’s ranking of the biggest selling brands in the global spirits industry, is now available to download.

Hite-Jinro’s soju brand, Jinro, remains the world's best selling spirit after growing sales 6% to 65.3m 9-litre cases last year, according to the report.

After announcing itself as the world’s biggest brandy brand in last year's list, the Philippines’ Emperador has jumped from fourth to second place in the overall ranking, following growth of 54%.

The brandy climbed from sales of 20.1m cases in 2011 to 31m cases in 2012.

Diageo’s Smirnoff drops to third place despite 4% year-on-year growth to 25.8m cases.

The word’s fourth largest spirit is the soju Lotte Liquor, which grew 6% to 25.4m cases and in fifth place, usurping Bacardi, is the Phillipines-based gin Ginebra San Miguel which sold an estimated 23m cases.

Richard Halstead, Intellima’s project director for the Millionaires’ Club supplement, said: “It’s clear that a fundamental power shift is underway in global spirits. Brands from developed world countries may still rule the roost in terms of value and brand recognition, but the exciting growth stories are all coming out of the developing world, such as South America, Asia and the Philippines.”

Category news

Johnnie Walker’s has been knocked off the apex of the whisky category by McDowell’s No.1, while Bacardi’s decades of rum dominance could end this year as Tanduay and McDowell’s No.1 Celebration close in.

If growth rates remain constant throughout 2013, Johnnie Walker could find itself leapfrogged by Allied Blenders & Distillers’ Officer’s Choice by the time The Millionaires’ Club 2014 is published.

Officer’s Choice, another Indian brand, grew by 10% last year, registering volumes of 18.1m cases.

The brand has grown an average of 22% annually over the past six years.

Meanwhile Bacardi, which grew 1% from 2011 to 2012, sold 19.8m cases last year, with Tanduay growing 5% to 19.6 million cases.

If growth rates continues at a similar pace to 2012, Bacardi will not only be overtaken by Tanduay but also by United Spirits’ McDowell’s No.1 Celebration rum, which grew by 14% from 15.6m cases to 17.8m cases.

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I know how wierd this might seem but I often think that the opening of a new distillery is like the launch of a new submarine. It is unveiled in all its pristine glory in a blaze of publicity and fanfare.